News Briefs - April 16

A World Driving Championship announcement, Anthony Butt's "scary" night at Melton, and The Locomotive steaming into Scandinavia all feature in this week's News Briefs.

10 drivers to be announced

The drivers, including New Zealand's representative, to contest November's World Driving Championship will be announced at Addington on Saturday night. Ten different countries will battle it out at the championships at four different venues -  Kaikoura, Cambridge, Winton and Addington. The final heat will be held on the biggest day of them all, IRT New Zealand Cup day at Addington on November 11.

Butt's "worst" night at the races

Ex-pat Kiwi driver Anthony Butt is recovering at home after a race day incident he describes as the scariest of his career. The three-time New Zealand winning driver, who's based in Victoria, broke two vertebrae and suffered other more minor injuries at Melton last Friday night. A broken bit saw his horse Kota Bharu gallop madly and Butt could only hang on and hope as firstly the horse went to the inside of the track and then ended up hitting the outside fence before being caught by the Clerk of the Course. "It's the worst thing I've had happen at the races," he said post race, "I've never been as scared." Right now it's all about rest and recuperation for Butt, the winner of over 1600 races. “I don’t need surgery, and they told me the vertebrae will heal on their own. I’m sleeping okay and the main problem is getting up and down.” The incident has parallels with Crystal Hackett's dramas at Cambridge last month. She described herself as being "a passenger" after a bit broke on her horse Herb. Again the Clerk of the Course came to the rescue and neither driver or horse were harmed. Herb returned to the race track when he won the last for Hackett at Cambridge last night.

Cookie makes it to Sweden

Fresh from his third in the $600,000 TAB Trot on Cambridge's Night of Champions on April 4, Aussie trotter The Locomotive has arrived in Sweden. "Cookie", as he's known,  has arrived at the stables of legendary trainer and driver Stig H. Johansson, where he will be under the care of trainer Susanne Frang ahead of The Elitloppet at Stockholm on May 25. The last Australian trotter to try and win the great race was Just Believe who failed to get past the heats.

$7500 minimum for Kiwis at ID2025

A financial incentive is being offered to any Kiwi connections who compete in this year's Inter-Dominions in Queensland. The prestigious trans-Tasman series is being held at Albion Park in Brisbane for the next three years, starting on July 5, 2025. The finals will be on July 19. A minimum prize money guarantee of $7500 will be on offer for all Kiwi-based horses competing in either the Trotting or Pacing Championship. This has been co-funded by Harness Racing New Zealand, Racing Queensland, Harness Racing Australia and the Albion Park Harness Racing Club.

Top stallion dies

Hall of Fame stallion Western Ideal has died in Pennsylvania, aged 30. In the 2000 Breeders Crown Western Ideal set a world record of 1:48 for the 5YO and older pacers on a mile track and was later named North American Horse of the Year. He sired 16 millionaires headlined by Rocknroll Hanover and produced five sub 1.48 pacers, including world champion American Ideal, the sire of dual New Zealand Cup winner Copy That.

May's Metro Series

The next round of the highly popular Metro Series Heats and Finals will be held at Alexandra Park next month. The series has been a feature part of the Look North strategy launched last year to reinvigorate racing in the north. $20,000 Heats for both Trotters and Pacers will be held at Alexandra Park on May 9 and May 23 before the two $35,000 Finals on Friday, May 30. There will be more heats and finals during the winter months.

Funding for small to medium projects

Applications are now open for a new scheme to help harness racing clubs around the country with small to medium-sized projects. Funded by Harness Racing New Zealand, the Infrastructure Grant Scheme has $250,000 per annum to allocate to projects that improve racing and training venues. The maximum grant per project is $50,000, with each successful club required to contribute 50 per cent to the project's cost as well.

To find out more click here

Entain Industry awards now open

Nominations are being called for New Zealand’s brightest talents in the racing industry, with the Industry Excellence Awards, powered by Entain New Zealand, now open for entries. The tri-code awards, which were held for the first time last year, are open to anyone involved in the New Zealand racing and breeding industry between the ages of 18 to 40 and are an opportunity for the rising stars and future leaders to be recognized. At last year's awards harness racing had two winners in Jo Stevens and Chanelle Dickie.

For more information click here

Entries still open for Weanling sale

Entries for the NZB National Weanling Sale close in little over a week. The sale will be held at Karaka on June 26 in conjunction with the NZB Thoroughbred sale. Entries are open via NZB Standardbred's portal, and close on Thursday, April 24. For assistance with the Portal, contact Grant Inglis by calling +64 9 298 0055 or email [email protected].  

Open Day at Winton

Young Southland trainer Tyler Dewe will be holding an open day at Winton race course from 12.30 onwards tomorrow (Thursday). Meet the trainer and see the horses up close as well as learning of ownership opportunities at the stable. Plus there will be prize draws on the day including a chance to win a 10 per cent lifetime share in a Bettor's Delight three-year-old who is set to race in eight weeks.  

Club News : Southern

The Southern Region is set to deliver two outstanding days of top-class harness racing this April, with Winton and Invercargill each hosting feature race days.

Winton Cup Day — Thursday, 17 April, Central Southland Raceway

The Winton Harness Racing Club’s signature meeting returns, headlined by the Group 2 Entain 2YO Fillies Mobile Pace, a $70,000 race. This year the club is delighted to welcome All Lay Carpets & Drapes on board as new sponsors of the Winton Cup. First race is scheduled for around noon with free entry to the course.

Diamonds Day — Sunday, 27 April, Ascot Park Raceway, Invercargill

Southern racing reaches its peak just 10 days later with the glittering Diamonds Day, hosted by the Invercargill Harness Racing Club with stakes totaling $420,000. 

Diamonds Day brings together the elite of the Southern Region, featuring the Group 1 Diamond Creek Farm 2YO Classic, the  Group 2 Nevele R Stud/Macca Lodge Southern Oaks Final, the Group 2 Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes Final, the Group 3 Entain 2YO Mobile Trot and the Regent Car Court Southern Cups Final. Off the track, excitement sparkles with the popular Coats & Schuck Jewellers and Invercargill Harness Racing Club ‘WIN A DIAMOND RING’ promotion. Every lady placing a $5 bet on course will go into the draw to win a stunning diamond ring valued in excess of $5,000! This is the fourth year the club has run this promotion which draws a large crowd, all ladies get a complimentary glass of wine on arrival. Limited hospitality options still available at both meetings.

Contact: Southern Harness Racing 03 217 9117
Email: [email protected]